The Tech Savvy Recruiter

Hosted by Belinda Kerr and Andrew Rodger

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The Tech Savvy Recruiter, the podcast for recruitment and staffing agency owners keen to explore the tech innovations reshaping our industry. Hosted by Andrew Roger from RecMate and Belinda Kerr from Recruitment Garage. Together they bring you a stellar lineup of tech experts ready to help you understand, and more importantly, benefit from the increasing array of tech available to you today.

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51 recent

September 1, 2026Episode 5144 min

Episode 48 - Modern tech stack should be more human - a counter-narrative to AI

In this episode, Belinda and Andrew sit down with Tom Dyson, co-founder and CEO of RecBook, an AI-powered ATS built specifically for boutique recruitment agencies, to flip the usual AI conversation on its head and make the case for why the modern tech stack should be more human, not less. Having spent nearly two decades in the engine room of recruitment technology, including a senior product leadership stint at JobAdder, before starting RecBook to build software that gets out of the recruiter's way, Tom brings a builder's perspective on why the best AI in recruitment is the AI you barely notice. You'll hear about: Why RecBook is built specifically for boutique agencies and solo recruiters, teams the big platforms have underserved Why the best recruitment software should work quietly in the background instead of demanding your attention The difference between generalist AI models and tools built to actually understand recruitment Where AI should never replace human relationships in the recruitment journey Why "spam with better grammar" is quietly eroding trust in candidate and client outreach Which parts of recruitment AI is genuinely great at, and which markets it's transforming fastest Why owning it when content is AI-generated builds more trust than pretending it isn't Lots of grounded, practical thinking in this one if you want a counter-narrative to the "AI will replace recruiters" hype. Questions Everybody in recruitment tech is racing towards that AI deadline or end line or beginning line for some companies. And you're the founder of a tech platform and you're telling me that tech should get out of the way and let the human get in front of it. Isn't that sort of counterintuitive or maybe a bit of it bad for your business? 4:24-4:42 What does being more human actually look like in practice? So perhaps looking at the day in the life of a recruiter using a tech stack built in this way? 8:38-8:48 When AI first was launched, recruitment was up the top in terms of hit list of industries that could be wiped out because of AI and some people were advocating AI is going to replace us all. But you're of a counter opinion of that and you're quite optimistic that it will actually go the other way. Why is that? 19:22-19:41 What do you feel like the parts of recruitment are that AI should just not touch? 26:05-26:09 You’ve launched your product openly talking around that you’re here for the boutique small player. You’re competing against some of those giants in the ATS world. What is your philosophy around why you are a competitive toolset for somebody to consider against those ATS giants? 38:26-38:43 Check out Achieve by Leanne Courtney Achieve partners with businesses to simplify technology and deliver practical solutions people actually use. https://achievewith.tech Subscribe to AI Labs https://recruitmentgarage.circle.so/checkout/growth-club-members-dollar1-trial Connect with Tom of Recbook https://recbook.com.au linkedin.com/in/dysontom Connect with Belinda and Andrew LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

August 18, 2026Episode 5043 min

Episode 47 - AI and recruitment...why you should NOT AI your whole recruitment business

In this episode, Belinda and Andrew sit down with Leanne Courtney, founder of Achieve and former Business Applications Manager at Procom, one of North America's largest staffing firms, to flip the usual AI conversation on its head and talk about why you shouldn't "AI" your entire recruitment business. Having run the entire Bullhorn ecosystem at enterprise scale and been one of Bullhorn's early access clients for their AI suite Amplify, Leanne brings a genuinely pro-AI but clear-eyed perspective on where agencies go wrong. You'll hear about: The most common failure mode when agencies implement AI, and why it's rarely the tech's fault Why "turnkey" AI solutions are a myth, and what to ask vendors before you sign anything How to spot the gap between a slick demo and week three of go live Where AI should never replace human relationships in the recruitment journey The hidden costs of AI that nobody talks about, and why cutting corners now means paying more later How to actually measure whether your AI agent is working, instead of just hoping it is Why "start small, prove it, then build" beats chasing every shiny new tool Lots of practical, no-fluff advice in this one if you're trying to cut through the AI hype. Questions You've implemented AI inside a major staffing firm at scale. What's the failure mode you saw most often, and what was the root cause of that failure? 2:58-3:07 There's a version of AI adoption that looks great in a vendor demo and falls apart in week three of go-live. Where specifically does that gap show up in recruitment, and what should agencies be watching for before they sign anything? 6:48-7:02 When it comes to adopting new tech, how do you navigate that balance between fitting it into someone's existing workflow versus encouraging them to change their workflow to get the most out of it? 11:38-12:14 If you had to draw a line or maybe put a red flag against what AI shouldn’t own or shouldn’t touch, are there steps in that journey or parts in that recruitment process that AI shouldn’t be involved with and why do you think that’s the way it should be in terms of human versus AI? 13:45-14:00 With AI tools now able to detect hiring signals, personalise outreach and automate the whole process, and people saying it's actually working, where do you think the balance sits between AI driven outreach and genuine human conversation? 15:07-15:41 Agencies are under real commercial pressure right now. Margins are tight, headcount is being scrutinised. AI feels like the answer. How do you have an honest conversation with a business owner who just wants to cut costs and thinks automation is the fix? 17:57-18:15 If a CEO came to you and said their AI implementation hasn't been delivering results after six months, what would be your go-to recommendation for them at that point? 36:46-36:58 Are You Using Less Than 20% of Your Tech? Find Out How Andrew Can Fix That - Link Below https://www.recmate.com.au/about-us Follow Leanne’s work linkedin.com/in/leanne-courtney achievewith.tech Connect with Belinda and Andrew LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

July 29, 2026Episode 4939 min

Episode 46 - AI Agents, Vibe Coding & the Future of the ATS

AI tools for recruiters have exploded over the past year - but which ones actually move the needle? In this episode of The Tech Savvy Recruiter, hosts Belinda Kerr and Andrew Rodger sit down with Pranav Badami, co-founder of Stardex, to cut through the hype and get practical. Pranav breaks down how agentic tools like Claude Cowork are reshaping recruiter workflows, why a "programmable ATS" beats a static database, and how AI research agents can supercharge your firm's internal data instead of just chasing external candidate lists. We also get into the tough questions: what should you ask an AI vendor before signing up? How do you protect candidate and client data as more of it flows into AI systems? And will the human side of recruiting survive the shift? Whether you're evaluating new tech or just trying to figure out where to focus your learning, this episode gives you a clear-eyed look at where AI genuinely helps - and where the recruiter's judgment still wins. 🎧 In this episode: The rapid evolution of AI tools for recruiters over the past 12 months Why your ATS should be a "structured, AI-friendly" data source, not a graveyard How AI research agents enhance sourcing strategy using your firm's own data What to evaluate before choosing an AI vendor Data privacy and security best practices in AI recruitment tech Why human connection and discernment remain recruiting's competitive edge What the AI-native recruitment agency will look like 12-18 months from now Questions Sort of high level. What are you noticing into the AI side of things. 1:51-1:53 The whole ATS category under threat because of vibe coding and those really niche purpose built tools? Or do you see a place for a structured database on going? 3:21-3:31 What are you finding as some of the features that recruiters are asking for, particularly owners are asking for? 8:02-8:08 Do recruiters and founders need to know what they should be asking these providers before they're signing up or should they just be testing them? 11:36-11:45 Are you guys thinking what's next? Are you happy to share what's going on with you right now? 17:05-17:09 How does Stardex sit with privacy? 20:27-20:29 What does that AI native recruiter actually look like and what tool sets will they have at their disposal to help them do what they do better? 24:37-24:44 Is the recruiter today ready for what that does look like in two years time or is it a natural evolution of the market where people will be in this role today, but maybe they're not going to be in the role in two years time for whatever reason. 27:34-27:47 What do you think business owners, recruitment owners, founders should be learning right now like more broadly around AI in tech. If they wanted to learn 1 or 2 key things in the next six months? What would you advise? 32:19-32:54 Where would you draw the line for executive search? What's your kind of level? 36:31-36:35 Subscribe to AI Labs https://recruitmentgarage.circle.so/checkout/growth-club-members-dollar1-trial Follow Pranav’s work stardex.com linkedin.com/in/pranavbadami Connect with Belinda and Andrew LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

July 7, 2026Episode 4852 min

Episode 45 - Shaun Henry Returns: Two Years of AI Lessons Every Recruiter Needs to Hear

What's changed in AI recruitment since 2024? Pretty much everything, and Shaun Henry is back to break it all down. In this episode, Belinda and Andrew sit down with Shaun Henry, co-founder of Floats.ai, for a proper update since his first appearance back in episode 15. Shaun started out as a tech recruiter frustrated by boring PDFs, clunky email threads and generic outreach, and turned that frustration into an AI platform built specifically to help recruiters win more business. Two years on, Shaun's seen the hype cycles come and go, watched agencies burn cash building the wrong systems, and figured out what actually moves the needle when it comes to AI and new business. You'll hear about: Why "vibe coding" is changing who can build tech, but not without new risks The real difference between build vs buy, and how to know which one you need Why candidate matching finally works now, after years of being overhyped The rise of AI agents like Sola, and what "human on the loop" really means Why authenticity still wins, and the one thing AI still can't fake How presentation and follow up can quietly be costing you clients Shaun's top 3 things every agency should focus on to stay competitive right now Lots of practical takeaways in this one, especially if you've been feeling overwhelmed by every new AI tool promising to save you hours a week. Questions The evolution’s been amazing over the last couple of years. Are you seeing the speed at which you are evolving increase and is it as quick as most people think? 3:10-3:20 How do you decide where to focus your time? Do you focus more on the requests coming? 5:49-5:57 There’s been a lot of hype, a lot of promises, a lot of products gonna do ABC. I’d love to get your thought around what that hype versus reality and how the market can get overwhelmed with all these things that are going to do this amazing transformational time saving 15-20 hours a week back in my pocket to do what. 9:01-9:20 If you had to say the top three things that agencies should be thinking about right now to help with their prospecting, workflow management, and their overall ability to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced market. What do you reckon those top 3-5 things might be? 39:10-39:28 Follow Shaun’s work linkedin.com/in/shaun-henry floats.ai Connect with Belinda and Andrew LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

June 16, 2026Episode 4733 min

Episode 44 - Relationship Architects & AI Agents: Chris Russell on the Future of Recruitment Tech

What does the future of recruitment actually look like when AI is doing the screening, the admin, the interviews - and even applying for jobs on your behalf? In this episode, Belinda and Andrew sit down with Chris Russell - founder of RecTech Media and the original "Mad Scientist of Online Recruiting" - to cut through the noise and get real about what AI is doing to the recruitment industry right now. With 700+ episodes on the RecTech podcast and 25+ years watching the industry evolve, Chris brings an interesting perspective on where things are heading. You'll hear about: Why AI is shrinking recruitment teams The "AI job wars" - candidates auto-applying to hundreds of roles, employers drowning in 2,000+ applications per opening Why rejection emails are still broken after 30 years - and how AI can finally fix it The rise of AI interview tools and what they mean for candidate experience What happens when job seeker AI agents start talking directly to employer AI agents Why the future recruiter might look less like a headhunter and more like a career concierge How to keep up when the tech is changing faster than you can track it Lots of nuggets in this episode for you. Questions A lot of the recruitment founders or recruitment companies at the moment are worried, for good reason, that a lot of their business will move in-house, being AI and tech led. I'd love to know what you're seeing there and what your thoughts are around that. 2:25-2:36 Is this different to the internet when it got switched on? Is this the same thing or should we maybe be a little bit worried because of the efficiencies of technology enabling internal teams to do a little bit more, a little bit more sophisticated? Whereas the gap is often filled by that external recruiter. 3:29-4:01 When it comes to doing that human interaction, that back and forth, as much as the candidate, as for the hiring manager, have we cracked it or has the technology cracked that to perfection? Where are we heading with that interview process? Will it be here in five years time? 5:08-5:22 You talk about the AI war happening between candidates and employers right now. Would you mind sharing a little bit more about your thoughts there? 9:31-9:39 What do you see for those dominant job board providers happening in the next five years? What are the changes that you forecast there? 12:35-13:41 LinkedIn recruiter are putting their rates up again. I do not understand how, with everything else that recruiters have at their fingertips now to find people, what am I missing? How is the LinkedIn recruiter justifying its price point? 16:40-16:55 Given that candidates now are using AI to write their CVs and prep, etc. How does that change then what a good recruiter actually does for their clients? So how do they navigate this change and come out on top? 19:25-19:49 I love your thoughts on this statement that recruitment's always been about relationships, but does the AI race make that more important or does it eventually just erode that advantage as well? 21:10-21:20 How can recruiters and staffing professionals keep that eye on the ball? What's the best strategy there for them? 28:06- 28:11 If you have one piece of advice to a recruitment founder or a TA person who’s watching this and a feeling behind. What’s the one thing that they could do this week to start thinking. 30:11-30:33 Follow Chris's work rectechmedia.com linkedin.com/in/cmrussell Connect with Belinda and Andrew LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

June 8, 2026Episode 4354 min

Episode 43 - 44 Years of Recruitment Wisdom: What AI Changes (and What It Doesn't) with Bill Boorman

What does a recruiter who started at 16 -- with 44 years in the industry -- think about AI, agentic tech, and the future of talent acquisition? A lot, as it turns out. This week, Belinda and Andrew sit down with Bill Boorman, senior analyst and writer focusing on job boards, tech, and general recruitment for the AIM Group, and board member of VONQ. Bill is one of the industry's most recognised recruitment voices on tech and AI, founder of the #tru unconference series, which has run events across 65 countries and has advised many rec tech firms including Talent Tech Labs and Recruitment Smart. These days, Bill spends his time helping the industry figure out what AI and technology actually mean in practice, not just in theory, with a goal of helping businesses and leaders make sense of what's next in the fast-moving world of work. In this episode, they cover: Why AI is removing friction from hiring -- and what that means for your value as a recruiter The "old school principles, new school delivery" framework that still drives great outcomes Why handmade recruitment is becoming a luxury -- and why that's actually good news The uncomfortable truth: in 15 years, the world is running out of workers How small agency owners have a real edge in the age of AI experimentation What your "moat" is -- and how to find and protect it before the market shifts under you Whether you're running a boutique agency or scaling a staffing firm, this episode will challenge how you think about your business, your pricing, and your future. Hit play. This one's worth every minute. Questions: You've seen every wave of rec tech come and go. Where do you reckon today's AI genuinely changes the game for agency founders and where is it still mostly hype? 2:00-2:12 You've been advising recruitment companies for many years. With what you have seen, what's maybe one or two of the key things that agency owners make in error when they're evaluating? 11:36-11:56 Given that we have all these amazing new tools at our fingertips, what edge do you think that will give the smaller founders or the smaller agencies? 20:05-20:14 Thinking around the role of AI with what we're doing today in terms of business development. How are you seeing that play out with companies and the role that AI is playing to, maybe break into new markets that I wanna head into or build an existing market that I'm currently playing within? 34:17-34:30 You've been really deep in that whole tech world and investment world, and I'd love to know some of the really interesting things that you're seeing. Different like, interesting companies, different players, different use cases. Just what, the stuff that's kinda making you go. 37:40-37:55 The leverage that you could or have been able to maintain and leverage with AI 1) let's call it, helped you, you do a lot of things faster, quicker, you could do a little bit more with your time, and where we're up to now is that whole new world, yet again with Agentic AI which does stuff on its, by itself without being told. We'd be thinking differently now that that opportunity's there. What should we be thinking as recruitment leaders? 40:20-40:57 Connect with Bill linkedin.com/in/billboorman Connect with Belinda and Andrew LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

May 8, 2026Episode 4541 min

Episode 42 - Andrew & BK's Hot takes on AI in Recruitment in May 2026

Hosts Andrew Rodger and Belinda Kerr have a candid mid-year roundtable, and there's a lot to unpack. From agentic AI quietly transforming recruitment workflows, to the data integrity trap most agencies are sleepwalking into, this is your pulse check on where AI is actually at in the recruitment industry right now. 🚀 Tune in for: Why firms using AI are seeing up to 4.5x more revenue growth and what separates them from the rest How agentic AI is handling outreach, scheduling, and reference checks autonomously The data quality problem that's silently killing AI results in your ATS Why the phone call is making a comeback and what that means for your BD strategy 👉 Perfect for: recruitment founders, agency owners, and staffing leaders who want a straight-talking take on where AI is headed. AI adoption rates and the shift from basic gen AI to agentic workflows (02:35) AI-first platforms vs legacy SaaS and what to look for before you renew your contract (05:13) How AI is transforming day-to-day recruitment workflows (07:56-18:45) Data integrity: why rubbish in still means rubbish out, even with AI (18:45) Vibe coding, hiring signal finders, and building your own tools on a budget (21:00) The personal touch comeback: email, phone calls, and building trust in a noisy market (34:00) What's coming in the next 3-6 months and how to prepare (29:00-42:25) Connect with Belinda and Andrew: LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

April 17, 2026Episode 4448 min

Episode 41 - Smart pipeline building and BD with AI automation

Most recruitment founders are still doing business development like it’s 2020 and it’s quietly killing their response rates. In this episode of The Tech Savvy Recruiter, we sit down with Niklas Huetzen, Founder of Automindz Solutions, to unpack how AI is fundamentally reshaping recruitment business development. Niklas breaks down how signal-driven strategies powered by AI is helping recruiters identify high-intent opportunities before competitors even see them. From job listings and leadership changes to fundraising signals and automation workflows, you’ll learn how top-performing agencies are moving away from “spray and pray” outreach and building smarter and more targeted systems. We also dive into the practical side of AI adoption, including tools, automation stacks, data quality, and how recruitment founders can stay competitive without getting lost in the noise of new tech. If you want to future-proof your recruitment BD strategy, this episode will shift how you think about pipeline generation entirely. Questions: Many recruitment founders are still doing BD like it’s 2020. What specifically has changed that they haven’t caught up with yet? 2:15-2:22 If I had to pick three for the audience of the biggest bang for your buck for return on investment. So for me to build something to monitor those signals, what three would you pick to start with? 6:04-6:13 What's the one belief that you think that they have that's sort of limiting them in their BD growth. Now what's getting in the way of more uptake of these tools that should be beneficial? 22:15-22:24 You’ve probably seen people looking at too many things and they’re overcomplicating their setup. What are the key things you could give guidance for founders when they’re thinking about setting a system like this up? What shouldn't they do basically to be overcomplicating it. 27:11-27:23 What about when it comes to structuring data? Is there anything worth talking about there? 30:18-30:23 Where do you think we’re heading from here? 40:49-40:51 Connect with Nik https://www.automindz-solutions.com/ Download The 2026 AI in Recruitment Playbook - https://automindz-solutions.com/ai-recruitment-playbook Connect with Belinda and Andrew: LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

March 3, 2026Episode 4342 min

Episode 40 - AI Is Rewiring Everyday Communication: Is It Making Us Smarter or Lazier?

AI is changing business communication but are we using it to work smarter or just faster? In this episode of The Tech Savvy Recruiter, Belinda and Andrew sit down with Veronica Fernandez, Strategic Partner Manager from Aircall, to explore how AI is transforming recruitment, sales, and customer service. What you’ll learn: - How AI handles repetitive tasks so you can focus on meaningful conversations - Real-time coaching and data-driven insights to improve performance - Ways to reduce call reluctance and boost confidence in sales - Choosing the right AI use cases without losing the human touch - Streamlining workflows to free up time for high-impact work Whether it’s AI agents running first-round interviews or nudging you during calls, this episode shows how to amplify human skills, streamline your workflow, and build stronger relationships. Connect with Veronica linkedin.com/in/veronicafernandez-wonder aircall.io Connect with Belinda and Andrew: LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/

February 17, 2026Episode 4253 min

Episode 39 - Navigating Cyber Threats: Practical Cybersecurity & Resilience for SMBs

Small businesses are under attack, and cyber threats are more real than ever. In this episode, Luke Irwin, fractional Chief Information Security Officer at Aegis Cybersecurity, breaks down the world of cybercrime - from email-based attacks and ransomware to social engineering and emerging AI risks. He shares practical steps for SMBs to boost cybersecurity, including frameworks like SMB1001, cybersecurity insurance, employee training, password management, and multi-factor authentication. Learn how to build cyber resilience, protect your business, and recover quickly when attacks happen. Whether you’re a founder, entrepreneur, or small business owner, this episode gives you actionable insights to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Questions: Get an overview of the landscape. What's happening? What should we be thinking about? 2:53-2:56 In Australia, the SMB 1009 and in The States, North America. Does that help with your insurance premiums? 14:5-14:58 With the SMB businesses, what are some of the typical breaches that you see? 16:49-16:57 Last time we spoke you gave a really good agenda of 60% or 70% of what people could do to stay safe. Would you mind running through that? 27:26-27:37 What percentage of Xero users do you reckon are actually backing up? 35:54-35:57 If you're thinking about backing it up, are there any sort of preferred smarter methods? 36:32-36:37 If you walked into a small to medium agency recruitment agency today, what would you say are the top three things you can do to bridge that gap? 44:57-45:06 Connect with Luke linkedin.com/in/luke-irwin E: lirwin@aegiscyber.com.au W: https://aegiscyber.com.au Connect with Belinda and Andrew: LinkedIn Belinda Kerr linkedin.com/in/belindakerr Recruitment Garage https://recruitmentgarage.com/ LinkedIn Andrew Rodger linkedin.com/in/andrewrodger recMate https://www.recmate.com.au/ Check out CyberWardens at https://train.cyberwardens.com.au